Middle School (6-8),High School (9-12),College and Beyond
Resource Type:
Background Information
Description:
Buddhism has deeply influenced the character and evolution of Asian civilization over the past 2,500 years. It is based on the teachings of a historical figure, Siddhartha Gautama, who lived around the fifth century BCE. As it moved across Asia, Buddhism absorbed indigenous beliefs and incorporated a wide range of imagery, both local and foreign, into its art and religious practices. Buddhism continues to evolve as a religion in many parts of the world.
Middle School (6-8),High School (9-12),College and Beyond
Resource Type:
Background Information
Description:
Islam is one of the world’s major religions. It shares with Judaism and Christianity a belief in a single god. The Arabic name for God is Allah. The word Islam means “surrender (to God).” The followers of Islam are called Muslims, which in Arabic means “one who surrenders to God.”
Middle School (6-8),High School (9-12),College and Beyond
Resource Type:
Background Information
Description:
Only in the past sixty years has “Southeast Asia” been used to refer to the region comprising modern-day Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. Learn more.
Middle School (6-8),High School (9-12),College and Beyond
Resource Type:
Background Information
Description:
The primary goal of the Conservation department at the Asian Art Museum is to preserve the museum’s collection for future generations. This goal is achieved through a number of activities including controlling the surrounding environment, performing conservation treatment, and researching fabrication methods and deterioration processes.
Middle School (6-8),High School (9-12),College and Beyond
Resource Type:
Background Information
Description:
Hinduism has a number of holy texts or scriptures. The best known are two epic poems, the Ramayana (Story of Rama) and the Mahabharata (The Great Chronicle of the Bharata Dynasty). How did the Story of Rama reach Southeast Asia? The religions of Hinduism and Buddhism (and, later, Islam), with their related literatures, were carried to Southeast Asia by merchants and pilgrims. Learn more.